Murdering Beauty
by Jaegerbombtastic
Summary: Saint Forester Research Facility is a laboratory hidden deep within the forests of Canada. Inside it lies an illegal testing area where the researchers and scientists use malnourished human subjects to see how they react to certain substances and tests. Kid, Liz, and Patty are assigned to take down this facility and free the reachable subjects. And among those is #217-44.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

She shivered. The room was so cold.

The silver shackles tightened around her ankles hurt. They rubbed against her skin and left red blisters. Sometimes blood would leak from them.

She didn't understand why they injected needles into her. When she was young, they'd always say that it'd make her strong someday.

Well, she wasn't strong. She was weak. She was thin. She was malnourished. She could see her ribs, but she didn't know if that was a good things.

There were always bags under her eyes. Dark bags, and her cheeks were sunken. Her hair was always wispy. Long, and dark, and wispy. It felt greasy too.

She didn't understand. She believed she would never understand. If she didn't listen to Them, then they'd hurt her. She already had the painful red marks on her back from her other punishments. She pressed her pale, bony finger lightly to the branding on her shoulder. #217-44, it read.

That was her name, right? Her name was #217-44.

The door swung open. She gasped, trying to curl up in the corner more and cling onto the empty gray wall. She didn't want anymore of this. She hated it. She still wasn't strong. It would never work. So why did they keep doing it?

They grinned. They always grinned. One said something to the other in a language she didn't understand and then looked back at her with malice in his eyes.

"Ah, I just love seein' them cry," he chuckled darkly.

"Damn, Robert, you're such a sadist."

"That's probably why I have all those women decomposing in my basement."

The two men looked at each other and burst out laughing before closing in on her. She trembled, she cried out, she struggled; but, alas, she was too weak for their strong grips.

The leaner one dragged her by her long, greasy hair to the testing room. Her heels scraped against the cold metal floor and her hands lay loosely on the tile. She could see the pitiful eyes of the other Subjects. #120-99 was staring down at her form maliciously. That Subject was glad it wasn't him.

She didn't dare let out a sob. Not until she was alone.

The two men tossed her upon the bloody table and chained her down by the wrists and ankles. The woman walked out from the shadows, a surgical mask over her mouth and a large sterile needle in her gloved hands.

"Alright, #217-44, you know the drill," she sighed and wiped down her arm with a wipe. Then, shortly after inserting the needle without warning, she arched her back and cried out in pain.

This earned her a slap to the face by the stronger man. She whimpered as the chemicals inserted into her bloodstream worked its magic. She felt it swirling around in her body and wondered exactly what they had done to her.

"AUUUUGH! NOO! AAAH!" she shrieked, struggling against the restraints and clenching her fists.

The three researchers watched as her eyes shifted from a dark black color to a blood red before returning to her normal pale grey. They all sighed in disappointment, ready for the next test, but then something happened.

There was a flash of red and orange, followed by extreme heat.

Followed by terrified and pain-filled shrieks.

* * *

**I have no idea what happened before but it's fixed now! **

**Anyways, thoughts? Like it? Hate it? Interested? **

**Review, please. It helps me get the next chapter out faster.**

**Anyways, aren't you wondering what happened to our dear main character? ;P**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Why would someone hide a place so deep in the woods?" Liz asked aloud to no one in particular, "It makes it so difficult to find."

"That's the idea," Kid replied in a matter-of-factly manner. He glanced at his Weapons and then continued to use his Soul Perception to search for any signs of...anything. "Remember, what they're doing is illegal. They would do anything to hide it from the authorities or anyone who would reveal a secret."

"These woods are just like Slender Woods!" Patty giggled at her sister's terrified and pale face. "Right, sis?"

"P-Please don't talk about Slenderman while we're out here, Patty..."

"Hmm? Why not?"

Kid put an arm in front of the girls, resulting them to halt in their tracks.

"I sense something..." he said quietly and narrowed his eyes, "There's over a hundred souls over in that direction."

"Wow..." Liz whispered in amazement as the trio began to trek that way, "So many test subjects."

Kid frowned. "But why use humans?" He sighed and looked at the Thompson sisters out of the corner of his eye. "Whatever substance they were testing with must have some special effect for humans. Perhaps I can ask my father if he can study it..."

"I'm sure Stein would be more than happy to," Liz drawled sarcastically, rubbing her arms protectively and rolling her eyes.

"That guy's creepy!" Patty gasped, her eyes wide. She stepped over a log and pricked a plant with her finger.

Suddenly, Kid bent back skillfully to dodge an arrow that shot past him.

"Kid! Are you okay?" Liz asked as the shinigami observed be direction that the arrow came from.

"This place is rigged," he mumbled, ignoring the elder sister's question, "We best be careful."

"Hey..." Patty suddenly said, looking at the other two, "Do you smell that?"

"It smells like a fire..." Liz whispered and looked around. Kid narrowed his eyes.

"Liz, Patty, transform. It'll be safer," he instructed, and the sisters did as he said. They landed perfectly in the shinigami's hands before he spun them around, clutching the handles tightly.

Kid leapt past the branches and fallen logs, following the scent of smoke and flames as quickly as he could while dodging the traps rigged within the woods. After a few minutes, he came across a building. It was large, fenced and protected tightly, yet half of it was engulfed in flames.

"This is the place!" Kid exclaimed, rushing towards it, "They're trapped in there!"

"GET OUT OF HERE!" a man suddenly yelled from a few yards away, "LEAVE THEM HERE!"

A few adults dressed in lab coats ran out doors and jumped out windows, fleeing from the building and into the woods. Kid would deal with them later. But first, he had to save as many subjects as he could. Liz and Patty transformed back into humans and landed on the grass as Kid rushed in. The flames were too strong for all three of them to go in there.

The shinigami dodged and evaded falling walls and crumbling ceilings until he reached a metal door with a hazardous sign on the front. Kicking the door open, he covered his mouth with his sleeve as the smoke caused his eyes to water. He crawled under the thick black cloud, seeing young children and teenagers escaping through air ducts and holes in walls.

At least some of them would survive.

At last, Kid reached a door in which he could see a shadow of feet underneath. Opening it, he realized that it was where the fire had begun. The entire room was in flames, except for a small corner, where a trembling form lay.

It was a girl. She was staring at the blazes fearfully and panting heavily. Her hair was wet with sweat and her simple white dress clung to her body. Kid grunted and observed her for a moment before searching for a way to leap across. Eventually, he just summoned Beelzebub and flew over the flames. When he reached the girl, she looked absolutely fear-stricken. She opened her mouth to scream and cry, but Kid scooped her up in his arms and flew out of the window before she had a chance to run (not that she had anywhere to go).

The building suddenly exploded just as Kid landed on the ground next to his Weapons. Some subjects were running clumsily, some were limping, some were crawling, and some were sprawled lifelessly on the grass. The shinigami winced and set the traumatized girl on the ground. She whimpered and curled up into a ball, shivering in fear and guilt.

"Kid..." Liz whispered, putting a hand on his shoulder. He was about to go after the other subjects, but decided against it after realizing that it wouldn't do any good.

At least he could save the crying girl curled up a few feet away from him. But Kid noticed something strange. The grass she laid on was slightly charred. Had it been that way before?

"Um...w-what's your name?" Liz asked awkwardly, reaching out to the girl.

She gasped in surprise and leapt to her feet, taking a few staggering steps back from the trio.

"It's okay! We won't hurt you!" Kid exclaimed assuringly. The three sat down on the grass and the girl clumsily did the same.

Kid, Liz, and Patty stared with wide eyes at the scars that rested up and down the girl's body. Her legs were bare and bruised, and her feet (especially her ankles) were lined with scrapes and dried blood. Her cheeks were sunken and her skin was deathly pale. The simple dress seemed to swallow her and Kid noticed bags under her eyes.

Was this how they really treated their test subjects?

"My name is Liz, and this is my sister Patty," the elder sister explained calmly, gesturing to the both of them, "Can you tell us your name?"

Her voice was shaky and nervous, barely a whisper. "#217-44..."

"T-That's your name?"

She nodded. "#217-44," she repeated.

* * *

**So...uh...whatdaya think? Review?**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
****

Kid had refused to call the girl #217-44. He thought of it as rude and demoralizing. The shinigami was a gentleman. He'd do no such thing.

Currently, the girl was sitting alone in one of the cells of the DWMA's basement. Curled up underneath the bed and not making a sound, Kid worried deeply for her. His father, Spirit, Stein, and Sid were all discussing the matter of the girl and what they should do with her. Kid only wondered if she was a Weapon or Meister, or if she was a witch. Half-witch, perhaps, like Crona?

The shinigami sighed and straightened his back when he noticed Maka walking up to him.

"You seem really worried about her," she commented with a small smile.

Kid looked up to meet her green eyed and shrugged lightly. "She seemed quite terrified when I first saw her. As if she was...transfixed by the flames. Overwhelmed by them."

Maka's face twisted into confusion and she sat down next to him. "What did she say her name was?" she asked curiously, crossing her legs and leaning forward slightly.

"#217-44..." Kid grumbled dishearteningly, propping his head up with his palm and looking away, "Is that was she really thinks her name is!? A pretty girl shouldn't be labeled by a number!"

Maka smirked. "Oh, so you think she's pretty?"

Kid opened his mouth to retort, but then realized what he had said and blinked. A dark red hue slowly crept up his cheeks as he closed his mouth. Looking away to hide his blush, the shinigami muttered, "All girls are pretty in their own way..."

Maka continued to smirk as she closed her eyes. Then, without opening her eyes, she pursed her lips slightly. "That girl has a pretty powerful soul, ya know?"

"Huh?" Kid hadn't been paying attention to her soul wavelength, but now that the green-eyed girl had mentioned it, it was pretty odd.

"I can't really explain it," Maka mumbled as she opened her eyes and stared at her lap, "It's...hesitant. It sways."

"It's like a flame," Kid finalized and the two looked at each other.

Stein and Spirit walked up to the two and the students stood. "What are we going to do with her?" Maka asked eagerly, raising her eyebrows and frowning when her father attempted to touch her.

"Lord Death has decided to see if she's a Weapon or Meister," Stein replied and blew out smoke from his cigarette, "If she's not, then we'll see then."

"But we need to call her by something," Kid scoffed, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow, "We're not going to call her #217-44, are we?"

"-CHOP!" Was what followed Kid's question as Maka brought down a hardcover book on Spirit's head, a large tick mark forming on her head. The professor and shinigami sweatdropped before returning to their discussion.

"In the meantime, Lord Death would like the girl to stay here at the DWMA," Stein explained simply and shrugged, "He says that if she goes out into the world, it may terrify her. Who knows how long she's been a test subject?"

He muttered something about dissection to himself, but Kid was unable to catch it.

Stein dragged Spirit away, but before they disappeared, he whipped his head back around and called, "You can see her if you want! Try to think of a name that she likes!"

Maka and Kid looked at each other and instantly sprinted for the basement. When they arrived there, the green-eyed girl didn't stop until she found the girl. Kid pointed at one metal door and they hesitated before opening it. A gasp was heard. It was the correct room.

The shinigami walked in, followed by his female friend. They looked around for the girl until Maka silently pointed to under the bed. Kid hesitantly got on his hands and knees, peeking down to see a pair of fiery orange eyes staring back at his own. He never noticed how pretty her eyes were. He wasn't able to get a good look back in Canada.

"Can you come out from under there?" Kid asked softly, "We promise we won't hurt you."

The girl was reluctant, but she complied and crawled out from under the bed. As soon as she did, though, she retreated to the wall and tucked her knees to her chest protectively. The shinigami observed her entire appearance.

She was thin and frail, and had little muscles. Her entire body was draped in wounds and scars, and the bare back of her simple white dress allowed him to see old whip marks. Her hair was long, dark, and wispy; it could have possibly never been cut for years, for it dragged on the floor slightly.

But it was her eyes that got Kid. They were a glowing, fiery orange with flecks of red. Like a flame.

"My name is Maka," the green-eyed girl said warmly and smiled, "It's nice to meet you."

The girl widened her odd eyes slightly and crossed her ankles, biting her chapped and bruised lips nervously.

Maka seemed to notice her lack of clothing and frowned. "Would you like some new clothes? Those can't be enough."

The girl whimpered and hid her face. Maka bit her lip, trying to think of other ways to get her to open up.

"Um...you said your name was #217-44, right?"

Kid sent Maka a death glare. The girl responded to this and looked up with a surprised expression. She nodded and pointed to her shoulder, where a branded mark rested.

"#217-44," she whispered and then met their worried eyes, "That's what they named me."

"Uh, wouldn't you want a different name?" Kid inquired, shrugging lightly, "Perhaps a real name?"

Maka nodded and the girl tilted her head in confusion. "We were all Subjects," she mumbled, speaking the most than she's ever had before, "We all were numbers."

"In that case, may we name you?" the shinigami asked, sitting on his legs at a considerably safe distance away from the girl, "It's rude to call you #217-44 all the time."

"I-If you want..." she mumbled, burying her face in her arms.

Kid and Maka began discussing names, much to the confusion of the girl. The shinigami looked at her and stared deep into her eyes. Her deep, mesmerizing, blazing, piercing eyes...

Fire. That's it.

"I got it!" Kid exclaimed, "How about Phoenix?"

Maka smiled and nodded before they turned to the girl. "Your new name is Phoenix, like a flame!" she giggled happily, "You better get used to it!"

"U-um..." 'Phoenix' was at a loss for words. She didn't understand.

But, for the first time, she had a feeling that she was going to soon.

* * *

**Fun Fact: Phoenix's name was originally going to be Nova.**

**So what do you think? I hope the sentences aren't too short and choppy. I feel like they are. I wrote this on my iPod so it looks different for me. **

**This fanfic is also on Wattpad and Archive of Our Own - under the username JordanMalik7 for Wattpad and The_Purple_Rainbow for AO3.**

**Review, please~! Love ya! XP**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
****

"You named her 'Phoenix'?" Liz questioned as Kid walked by her, "Did you come up with that name yourself?"

The shinigami shook his head. "Maka and I came up with it together."

"And...how did 'Phoenix' respond to it?"

Kid thought for a moment, racking his brain for a correct word to describe her reaction. "Hm...I suppose she seemed a bit...surprised. Pleased, perhaps?"

Liz blinked as Kid rambled on about how symmetrical her eyes were, or something along the lines of that.

"It's almost like you're attracted to her." Liz's comment caused Kid to remember Maka's statement and blushed. He turned around and raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

"Well, think about it," Liz began casually, "Every girl you've dated - well, most of the very few you've gone out with - have been either innocent, quiet, or both. You're attracted to the shy type, and in Phoenix's case, she's all three."

Kid blushed even deeper. The elder Thompson sister was right. "I merely find her pretty. None of this 'crushing' and 'attraction' of the sort is going on."

Liz rolled her eyes and walked out with a sigh when she heard her sister calling her name. Kid watched her leave and plopped on the couch irritably. He wondered how Phoenix was doing. If she was still crying underneath the bed. If she was afraid. Lonely. Terrified.

"No, Kid, stop," he told himself with a sigh, halting his train of thought.

And all he thought about for the rest of the day were Phoenix's fiery eyes.

~####~

Professor Stein walked down into the DWMA's basement, almost instantly finding the girl's room. Phoenix. That was what Maka and Kid named her, right?

The professor knocked on the door, but received no reply. Eventually, he pushed the door open and looked inside. He could see a faint light coming from the corner of the room.

"Phoenix?" he called before using her other name, "#217-44?"

The girl looked up slightly, and Stein realized that she was the source of light. Upon closer inspection, he learned that her appearance was different than when he first saw her. She was staring at her hands with those strange, wavering, fiery eyes. But that wasn't what got Stein's attention.

It was her hair.

Her blazing hair that licked the air nervously. Her hair was literally a flame, some fiery strands hanging down around her face. Stein didn't show his reaction, though he was a bit surprised. Who wouldn't be surprised to see that a person's hair was a literal _flame?_

"It seems some of the tests they conducted upon you triggered a reaction," he stated calmly, kneeling down in front of the terrified girl.

He reached out to touch the flames, but recoiled his hand instantly when her hair burned him. It was an actual flame.

"Does it hurt?" Stein asked curiously, resting his elbow on his knee.

Phoenix shook her head, her eyes glued to the screw going through the professor's head. "I-I-I don't know..." she mumbled tearfully, "I-It just...exploded...and my hair...ahhh...!"

Stein put a hand reassuringly on her shoulder, despite the fact that the heat from her hair warmed up his hand a bit too much for his liking.

"Relax," he said slowly, "No one and nothing is going to harm you. My name is Professor Stein." Just as he opened his mouth to say more, the door opened and in walked Spirit.

"Hey! Don't you get any weird ideas about dissecting her!" the Death Scythe cried, yanking Stein away from the girl.

Then Spirit saw her hair. Just as Phoenix yelped and hid her face, the flames disappeared and her long, dark, wispy hair draped down her back.

Spirit turned to the nonchalant professor in disbelief. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do a thing." Stein smirked at the Death Scythe. "The ones who ran tests on her did."

* * *

**I apologize profusely for my absence. School is a bitch.**

**Review? It's not necessary but greatly appreciated!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
****

"And you say her hair was on fire?" Lord Death inquired after Stein and Spirit's explanation.

The professor nodded once, "Yes. It didn't seem to hurt her, but her hair was a literal flame. When Spirit entered the room, her hair became normal once more."

"Perhaps it's triggered by her emotions..." the great shinigami mused, deep in thought, "Didn't Kid say that there was a fire raging in the facility when he arrived there?"

"Maybe Phoenix started it," Spirit suggested, his hands in his pockets, "Accidentally."

"'Phoenix'?" Lord Death questioned.

"Oh, instead of #217-44, Kid and Maka named her Phoenix," Stein explained, glancing at the Death Scythe out of the corner of his eye and raising an eyebrow.

"My Maka came up with a name as beautiful as that~!" Spirit sang, lost in Maka-Land. Stein's eye twitched in irritation and looked back at the great shinigami.

"So what should we do with her?"

Lord Death pointed an oversized finger in the air. "We test to see if she's a Meister or Weapon! Bring her to me, please~!"

* * *

Kid and Maka forced Stein to let them go with Phoenix to see Lord Death.

He agreed, but first they had to coax the girl out of her room. Phoenix was currently curled up under the bed once more, her knees hiding her chin and long, dark hair sprawled across the floor.

"We're going to see my father," Kid said as the three stared underneath the bed, "He's going to decide what to do with you."

He knew Phoenix could speak. She had to say something, right?"

"L-Like the Trade...?" she asked softly, her voice shaky.

"What's that?" Maka questioned in confusion, and raised an eyebrow when Phoenix widened her fiery orange eyes slightly.

"Th-The Trade is w-when I s-switch rooms and t-tests with a-another Su-Subject..." she responded, playing with her fingers nervously.

Kid and Maka shook their heads quickly. "No, no, nothing of the sort!" the shinigami laughed assuringly, "My father won't hurt you or do anything like that! He's just going to see if you can transform into a Weapon or wield one."

The girl's face twisted in confusion. Deciding to explain later, Kid outstretched his hand and smirked. "C'mon."

Phoenix, her pale hand trembling, reached out reluctantly and intertwined her fingers with the shinigami's. He pulled her out and when the girl stood, she ripped her hand away.

The girl wobbled on her feet, not used to walking everywhere. She was usually dragged by her hair and tossed carelessly over someone's shoulder. Kid and Maka helped steady her and she shivered at the human contact. When Phoenix curled her toes and stared at her legs as she walked, Kid chortled in amusement.

They soon reached the Death Room. Stein opened the door and the trio watched as Phoenix's eyes widened at the large set of red arches that lined the way to Lord Death. Maka elbowed the shinigami, causing him to realize that he had been staring at Phoenix. At the green-eyed girl's sly smirk, Kid blushed and looked away with a childish pout.

Then the shinigami's eyes trailed to her hair. Her long, dark, wispy, greasy, asymmetrical hair. It dragged on the ground slightly, brushing against her bare feet and ankles.

"Her hair...is asymmetrical," Kid muttered, his shoulder twitching as he desperately fought the urge to tackle her down and cut her hair.

Maka rolled her eyes. "Not everyone can be perfect."

When Lord Death saw them arrive, he gasped happily, only resulting in Phoenix to widen her eyes and freeze in place.

"It's okay," Stein assured, patting the girl's shoulder and going over to stand beside Spirit.

Maka narrowed her eyes at the Death Scythe and professor. They seemed to be very close lately...

"You're even prettier in person!" Lord Death exclaimed happily, clapping his giant hands together, "Welcome to Death City~!"

Unknown to such kindness, Phoenix blushed and stared at her feet, raking her fingers through her hair. The Grim Reaper suddenly got close, eyeing the girl up and down. Phoenix squeaked in surprise and nearly fell back while trying to back away, but Kid caught her by the elbow. Pulling away as soon as he grabbed onto her, the shinigami let go and watched as his father interpreted if she was a Weapon or Meister.

"Well, this is unusual!" Lord Death suddenly exclaimed, tilting his head as he took a deep, long look at Phoenix's soul.

"What is it?" Spirit asked curiously, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"She has the potential to become a Meister, but...still!" Lord Death exclaimed, "All I know is that she has undiscovered pyrokinetic abilities."

"'Pyrokinetic'?" Maka inquired, raising an eyebrow and looking at the terrified Phoenix.

"Fire," Lord Death explained and stroked his chin/bottom of his mask, "And she wasn't born with them either. Perhaps one of the tests run on her caused a reaction."

Stein looked up, observing her hair. The edges were beginning to rise above the ground and were faintly a fiery orange. When Lord Death patted her head, Phoenix shrieked and stumbled back. And then her hair burst into flames.

Everyone in the room froze, instantly staring at her fiery hair with wide eyes.

"...What?" was all Kid could ask.

* * *

**Yeah, I know. I just began to use the horizontal lines to seperate scenes and such because I just realized I could. I'm stupid, don't worry about it. XD  
**

**Review? Maybe check out my other story: A Twist In My Story? It's Soul X Kid, and yaoi so yeah. Plus it's somewhat based off Corpse Party.**

**Anyways, hope you enjoyed and, hopefully, I'm planning on another update tomorrow!**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
****

Her hair...

Her hair...

Her normally long, dark, wispy, greasy hair...burst into flames.

Kid was currently contemplating and trying to piece together the events that led up to...her hair blazing.

Sitting on his couch, Liz and Patty walked up and stared at him. "Uh, Kid?" the elder sister asked, "You okay?"

He didn't respond. The shinigami was too far into his mind to even acknowledge her.

"Kyahahaha~!" Patty laughed, wrapping her arms over her stomach, "Kid broke!"

Liz walked over and poked his side, causing the shinigami to squeal girlishly and fall over on the ground.

"Oops. Sorry." Liz smiled sheepishly and helped her Meister up. "You thinkin' about Phoenix or whatever again?"

"Her hair burst into flames..."

"Oh, yeah, Maka told me!" Patty cheered, "She said that her hair was pretty and REAL FLAMES."

Liz sweatdropped and crossed her arms. "Does it bother you or something?"

The shinigami shook his head and sat back down. "No, it doesn't. I'm just curious as to how it does that."

The two sisters looked at each other and thought for a moment. "Well, she was tested on, right? Human experimentation?" Liz questioned, stroking her chin and turning slightly.

"Yes."

"Maybe one of the tests had a reaction," Liz suggested with a shrug and she and Patty began to walk towards the door, "Patty and I are having a sleepover with the girls! See you tomorrow!"

"Oh, alright. Bye."

* * *

There was a knock on his door.

Kid raised an eyebrow, pushing himself off the couch with his hands and walking to the door. When he opened it, the shinigami gave the two guests a deadpanned expression.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Well, hello to you too," Soul scoffed, crossing his arms and flipping his hair out of his eyes.

"We brought Mountain Dew~!" Black*Star sang excitedly, holding up the bag as if it were the key to the universe.

Kid was not amused.

"...and Nutella..."

Wait.

Hold up.

The shinigami grabbed the two by their shirts and threw them inside, closing the door behind them.

"Damn, Kid, if you wanted some, you could've asked," the albino laughed, brushing off the front of his jacket.

Kid outstretched his hand and Soul dropped the jar of Nutella into it. The shinigami walked into the kitchen for a moment and came back out with a spoon. The albino and assassin were failing to conceal their snickers, and this earned them a smack in the back of the head.

"So what do you want?" Kid asked, sitting on the couch as he opened the jar.

Soul looked at Black*Star and scowled. "Maka and the girls kicked me out," he explained, plopping down across from the shinigami, "We got bored, so we came here. You've got video games, right?"

Kid narrowed his eyes. "What makes you think I don't?"

"I dunno," Black*Star shrugged, "You're all stuck-up and shit. Aren't video games asymmetrical?"

"Some. My personal favorite is Call of Duty."

"THEN LET'S PLAY IT!"

* * *

"You're thinking about her."

"Shut up, Black*Star. You're being totally uncool."

"You _loooooove_ her~!"

"No, I don't."

"Stop denying it, man!"

"DAMN IT, BLACK*STAR, I DON'T LIKE MAKA!" Soul threw down his controller in frustration, glaring at the assassin with a flushed face.

Kid snickered and Black*Star smirked. "I never said who she was..."

Soul's face turned red as he stared at his lap and scowled. "Whatever!" he cried, "Kid likes what's-her-face!"

"Who?" the shinigami asked in confusion, pausing the game and setting down the controller carefully.

"Phoenix, or something!"

Kid's cheeks turned pink. He frowned. "No, I believe you are mistaken."

"C'mon, man, you always talk about her," Black*Star scoffed, "Paying attention to a worthless freak more than your God..."

"Hey!" Kid cried, "She's not a '_worthless freak',_ you bastard!"

Soul grinned, followed by the assassin. It took a few seconds for Kid to realize what he just said and shut his mouth slowly.

"I can't like her," he sighed, resting his head in his palm, "I barely know her."

"Then get to know her."

Soul's eyes trailed to the empty jar of Nutella. They had only been playing video games for ten minutes.

"Dude...Kid...did you already eat it all...?"

"...You saw nothing."

* * *

**I SWEAR TO GOD I COULD HAVE SWORN I UPDATED YESTERDAY!  
**

**I was about to update Chapter 7 and then I realized Chapter 6 wasn't even published yet! So, to apologize, I present a double update!**

**Please forgive me. **

**Also, I changed my username to _Jaegerbombtastic_ because I've been meaning to for a while! It's still _The Purple Rainbow_, but with a different pen name.**

**I saw my boyfriend today too. Since we have no classes together, we can only have lunch together. Yaaaayyyy~**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
****

Maka skipped up to Phoenix's door happily and knocked lightly.

Again, there was no response. So the green-eyed girl just opened the door and looked inside to see Phoenix sitting against the wall on her bed; her knees were tucked to her chest and her face was hidden in her arms.

"Hey...Phoenix," Maka said softly, and the girl looked up in surprise.

"W-What..?"

"Would you like to come over to my house?" she asked with a sad smile, "You can take a shower, cut your hair, and maybe get some new clothes."

Maka noticed that Phoenix was flat. Not as flat as Crona, but flatter than herself.

The girl merely raised her eyebrows and clutched her bruised legs tighter. "H-Huh...? Wh-What's...W-Why would you l-let me d-do that..?"

"Because we're friends now!" the green-eyed girl cheered and sat down on the bed near her, "And friends help each other!"

"'F-Friends'...?"

Maka nodded with a big grin. Phoenix blinked her beautiful, sparkling, fiery orange eyes and untucked her legs.

The green-eyed girl helped her stand and looked down at the girl's bare feet. "Um...I should have brought shoes..."

"I-I...I-I've n-never worn sh-shoes before..."

Maka merely stared at her.

* * *

The green-eyed girl pushed open the door to her shared apartment and led Phoenix aside. The girl was timid and fearful to touch anything, even after Maka's reassuring words.

Soul then walked out of his room and sweatdropped. "Uh. You brought her here?"

Maka glared at him, folding her arms. "She needs a shower and clothes, Soul."

"Whatever," the albino said and shut his bedroom door. Then, a, "HOLY SHIT, BLAIR!" was heard from inside.

A tick mark formed on Maka's head as she growled and nearly dragged Phoenix to the bathroom.

After showing the timid girl exactly how to work the shower, she left the bathroom and walked into her room to find some suitable clothes. Maka understood that all Phoenix had pretty much worn her entire life was simple, white hospital gowns that only covered what was needed.

The green-eyed girl took out a small sports bra and black panties before digging for the rest. She soon found a baggy white tank top that said "_But 'Dat Backflip Tho"_ across the front and a pair of dark short-shorts.

When Maka opened the door slightly into the bathroom, she saw as Phoenix observed herself in the mirror. She was wrapped up in a plush red towel and her head was tilted in confusion.

"T-The water..." she mumbled, turning slightly and looking down at her arms, "I-It stung..."

The green-eyed girl bit her lip and set down the clothes. "Do you need help cutting your hair?"

Phoenix fisted a handful of her long dark hair and looked Maka in the eyes. "U-Um...s-sure..."

The green-eyed girl smiled and took out a pair of scissors and a comb from the drawer, ordering Phoenix to sit on the stool as she went to work.

"How short do you want it?"

"A-Ah...I-I like i-it long..." Phoenix murmured, her eyes trailing down to her lap.

Maka lifted the timid girl's hair off the ground and marveled at the length. It was as if it had never been cut, and it was extremely tangled.

Well, at least it wasn't greasy and dusty anymore.

* * *

Soul was watching TV on the couch when Maka and Phoenix exited the bathroom. He whipped his head back towards them and shifted his position.

Phoenix was standing awkwardly behind Maka, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. Her long, dark hair no longer dragged on the ground when she walked, but reached to her ass. The strands that used to hang mussily in her eyes were now cut evenly; somewhat. She was dressed in the clothes that Maka had chosen, but accompanied with a pair of black flats. Soul noticed a hair tie on her wrist and a silver cross necklace on her neck, the cross resting on her collarbone.

Phoenix's bruises and cuts had healed somewhat, but the scars were still there. Even though Soul had a massive crush on Maka, he had to admit that Phoenix looked very pretty.

He could just imagine Kid's reaction...

"Damn, Maka," he chuckled and stood, shoving his hands into his pockets, "What sorcery is this?"

"Thank you," the green-eyed girl smirked proudly, putting her hands on her hips and patting Phoenix's shoulder.

The girl tensed and stared at Maka with fearful orange eyes, but calmed down once she saw the concern and carefulness in Maka's pretty green eyes.

"Don't forget, Phoenix!" she exclaimed, putting a finger in the air, "We're your friends!"

"Yup," Soul agreed, closing his blood red eyes and nodding, "Me, Maka, Kid, Black*Star, Tsubaki, Liz, Patty; all of us."

A tear slid down Phoenix's cheek, and the two leaned in to check if she was okay.

But then she _smiled_.

It was a soft one, barely even there, but she still smiled. Maka smiled back; Phoenix was finally making some progress.

* * *

**I really, really love Phoenix and I hope you are too! Phoenix is definitely like Crona most of the time, and I'm going to say that it's supposed to be like that.**

**I mean, would you really be outgoing and trusting if you were tested on and abused your entire life?**

**Just saiyan.**

**Anyways, drop a review! It helps ;)**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
****

The next day, Kid was asked to take Phoenix out into the courtyard with Liz and Patty and demonstrate the properties of being a Meister by his father.

And believe me, was he surprised to see Phoenix's appearance.

Apparently, Maka and the other girls went on a big shopping spree for Phoenix and gave her clothes to wear each day.

Currently, Phoenix was dressed in a navy blue tee-shirt with a graphic print Nyan Cat across the chest, dark skinny jeans, and black tennis shoes. Of course, she hadn't known how to tie them.

Her bangs were not symmetrical, yet her hair was tied carefully into a low ponytail; the ends of her hair reached the curve just above her...wonderful...ass...

Kid pulled himself together and fought the blush coming to his face. Phoenix stared at him in confusion and bit her lip nervously, and in the shinigami's point of view, it only made her look even cuter.

"D-Did...D-Did I d-do something w-wrong...?" she mumbled, scratching her arm asymmetrically.

Kid grabbed her wrists, earning a yelp from the timid girl. He soon placed her arms at her sides and took a step back.

Liz and Patty then walked up. "Are you guys ready?" the elder Thompson sister questioned, raising her eyebrows at the sight of Phoenix.

"Whoa~!" Patty giggled, covering her mouth with her hand, "She looks so preeeeetty~!"

The timid girl blushed in embarrassment. "U-Uh...I-I-I..."

"Don't make her nervous, Patty," Kid scolded lightly and looked at Phoenix with a small blush, "Shall we go?"

Phoenix didn't understand why the shinigami was being so kind to her, but she figured that she might as well enjoy it while it lasts.

The four exited to the courtyard, where Liz and Patty immediately transformed into guns and landed perfectly in the shinigami's hands. Phoenix's eyes widened in shock as she sat on the ground, her back leaning against the white pillar. The girl tucked her knees to her chest and rested her chin on her arms.

Kid looked back at Phoenix before looking at the target the Thompson sisters had set up. Rolling his eyes at the ridiculous giraffe cardboard standup, the shinigami flipped his guns around and aimed for the standup. Shooting every now and then while showing off his moves, he made sure to let Phoenix know through his movements what being a Meister meant. What you had to do.

"I-I...I-I don't think I-I c-can do that..." the girl mumbled nervously, looking up shamefully as Kid walked up and the sisters transformed back into humans.

"Nonsense," Kid said casually, flipping his hands, "I'm sure you'll be able to fight just fine."

"'F-Fight'!?"

"Yeah!" Patty exclaimed, her innocent eyes wide and sparkling, "We get to fight these monsters and take their souls~!"

Phoenix whimpered as depression lines sunk down her head. She took a step back and nearly stumbled, but Kid caught her before she could fall.

Helping her stand firmly on her feet, Phoenix grabbed her right arm and began subconsciously scratching it.

Realizing that Kid was about to blow up about symmetry, Liz hand-planted his face and shoved him back, replacing him with herself beside the timid girl.

"Sorry about Patty," she said quietly and apologetically, "It's not that scary at all. It's just what we do so the world is safe."

"'S-Safe'?"

Liz nodded with a smile, but it faded when Phoenix shivered and shook her head.

"N-No...th-there is no s-safety in the w-world. Y-You can't r-really t-trust anyone, b-because you d-don't know w-what they're thinking...I-It's...dangerous..."

Liz had to admit, Phoenix had a point there. She understood that the girl had a very difficult time trusting others after the psychological torture she had gone through and smiled.

"You'll open up when you're ready." Leaving Phoenix with a confused look, Liz and Patty ran to cheer up Kid as he had another one of his symmetry rants.

While the sisters worked their magic, Phoenix looked up to see a butterfly flying happily in the breeze. Having never seen such a creature before, the girl reached up.

The Death trio watched in amazement as the Monarch butterfly perched itself on her forefinger...but then steam suddenly appeared and the butterfly disintegrated into ashes after being burned. The dead butterfly fluttered motionlessly to the ground, and the trio looked up to see Phoenix's bewildered and utterly shocked face.

"I-I...I-I did that..." she whispered and stared at her hands, "I..."

She looked at Kid, Liz, and Patty with tear-filled eyes and bolted into the school.

* * *

"What did you do!?" Maka demanded angrily as she paced back and forth in front of Phoenix's door.

"I didn't _DO_ anything!" Kid replied angrily, slapping his forehead in irritation, "A butterfly landed on her finger and it burned! Then she just ran off!"

"Wait." Maka paused. "Are you saying that SHE burned the butterfly...?"

"Father did say that she had whatever that 'pyrokinesis' thing was, correct?"

Maka snapped her fingers, "She accidentally burned the butterfly, and since she had never seen one before or experienced one, she figured that she had done something horrible and ran off."

The shinigami nodded once and crossed his arms. The two knocked on Phoenix's door and then opened it to see the girl huddled in the corner.

And her hair was on fire once more.

Man, Kid would never get used to that.

* * *

**lol poor Kiddo**

**His love interest is a girl with freaky fire powers.**

***cough* Flame Princess *cough***

**Review, please! :DDD**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9  
****

"You sure havin' her attend the school is a good idea?" Spirit questioned the great shinigami, his hands tucked in his pockets.

Lord Death looked at the scythe and tilted his head. "Of course!" he exclaimed, "This is the only way I can get more information about her! Plus, it'll make the story more interesting!"

"Wait, what '_story_'?"

Ignoring the Death Scythe, the Grim Reaper was already rambling about plans and matchmaking.

Wait. Matchmaking?

"Wait, what?" Spirit asked in surprise, making sure he had heard right.

"I said that I'm going to put Phoenix and Kid together~!" Lord Death sang excitedly, "They would just make _wonderful_ babies together!"

"You're insane."

"Thank you~! NOW! Spirit, come over here and help me with Phoenix's class schedule!"

* * *

"I-I'm...going to be...a-attending...?" Phoenix asked after Maka and Soul told the timid girl the news.

"You'll be a bit behind most of the class, but I'm sure you'll be fine!" the green-eyed girl assured, "We're your best friends now, and if you ever have trouble on anything or someone ever picks on you, just come to one of us, okay?"

"..."

"...Phoenix?"

The girl looked up, her eyes filled with tears. She scratched her arm. "N-No one's ever...b-been this nice...I-I've always been a...a failed project..."

Maka suddenly embraced Phoenix, surprising and frightening the girl, who had never experienced such loving contact. Phoenix didn't know what to do, but she hesitantly wrapped her arms around Maka and squeezed her tight, burying her face in the green-eyed girl's shoulder.

Sometimes all someone needs is a hug.

* * *

Maka and Soul walked into class, and Black*Star ran up to greet his best friend, but then Phoenix walked in.

Her hair was left down today, swaying lightly down her back. She was dressed in a short, below-the-shoulder, lilac shirt with a black spaghetti strap top underneath, floral print capris, and pretty white sandals. Kid couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked.

Black*Star seemed transfixed too. "Whoa..." he whispered and burst out laughing, "Yo, Soul! Who's the _hottie_!?"

As Tsubaki urged her Meister to settle down, Phoenix slowly crept behind Maka and hid her face with her hair.

"Hey!" Black*Star yelled, causing the timid girl to shyly glance up at him, "My name is Black*Star, the great and powerful assassin who will surpass God! Remember that, peasant!"

Phoenix was utterly confused.

"Dude," Soul sighed, rolling his eyes, "That's Phoenix. The chick who Kid found at the facility in Canada?"

"The chick who was experimented on?"

"Yup."

Black*Star looked at Maka and then at Phoenix. "Tough break, kid," he laughed before turning to go chat with Soul.

Maka patted the slightly shorter girl on the head and took her by the elbow, leading her towards the empty seat next to her. Crona was sitting on the opposite side of Maka.

"Hey, Crona!" the green-eyed girl greeted cheerfully and gestured to the timid girl beside her, "This is Phoenix! The girl I was telling you about?"

Remembering Phoenix's situation, Crona hesitantly turned around and smiled shyly. "U-Uh, hello," she said softly, waving.

Phoenix and Crona stared at each other for a moment. "H-Hi..." the timid girl mumbled, playing with a strand of her hair.

Maka looked at Kid and stood, "I'll be right back."

Then she left to go sit down next to Kid, leaving Crona and Phoenix to chat.

"What is it?" the shinigami asked, "Is our plan working?"

Kid and Maka had made a plan a few days ago. A plan that would aid Phoenix to open up and make new friends on her own, and learn new things to help her succeed in life. A very symmetrical plan, in the shinigami's opinion.

The green-eyed girl nodded and leaned in slightly, "Don't you think Crona and Phoenix would make great friends?"

"Hmm?"

"Think about it," Maka began, tapping her chin as she thought deeply, "They were both experimented on, neglected, unloved, forced to do things they didn't want to, and both locked up in rooms for extended periods of time."

"Wow," Kid laughed lightly, running a hand through his hair as he stared at Phoenix, "They're so similar."

"Maybe the author was thinking of Crona when she created Phoenix," Maka thought aloud, and before Kid could ask what she meant, stood and began walking back towards her shy and timid friends.

From a distance, Soul glared holes into the back of Kid's head.

He didn't know why Maka and Kid had been so close and friendly lately, but he was determined to find out.

* * *

**I hate SoMa. With a passion. But my friend wanted me to write it in there, so I did. Cause I'm a good friend.**

**My Soul Eater OTPs are Kid x Crona and Soul x Kid. Yaoi for the win.**

**lol i'm listening to One Direction. *is a Directioner* *has dibs on Zayn* **

**Anyways, review if you enjoyed, which I hope you did. **

**By the way, follow me on Instagram because I'm doing the Ice Bucket Challenge tomorrow! (and recording it)! My Instagram is strange_jordan_88.**

**REVIEW BETCH**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
****

Soul stormed up to Kid after class and slammed him against the wall.

"Soul!?" Kid sputtered, "What the hell!?"

"Why have you and Maka been so close lately?" Soul demanded, his eyes darkening and grip on the front of Kid's collar tightening.

The shinigami raised an eyebrow before realizing what he was getting at, bursting out laughing. The albino dropped him in confusion and Kid wrapped his arms around his sides to steady himself.

Wiping his eyes while chuckling, Kid said, "Wow. You really love her, don't you?"

"Shut up and answer the question!"

The shinigami smirked in amusement. "Maka and I are currently sex friends."

"_WHAT_!?"

"Wow, I can't believe you fell for that."

Soul's eye twitched irritably as he growled and clenched his fists. "Goddamn it, Kid, just tell me!"

The shinigami sighed. "Very well," he complied and continued, "Maka and I have concocted a plan to help Phoenix adjust to normal life and control her...erm...'_special abilities_'."

The albino blinked, sweatdropping. "So you two are basically working together just to help the chick?"

Kid frowned. "_Yes_," he said through clenched teeth, "And her name is _Phoenix_."

After being assured that nothing was going on between the shinigami and the scythe Meister, Soul exhaled in relief and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"I had you worried there for a moment, huh?" Kid chuckled, raising his eyebrows, "Why don't you just inform Maka of how you feel?"

"That would be totally uncool," Soul sighed, flipping his hair out of his eyes. Then he grinned, "Besides, I haven't thought of a cool way to do it yet."

Kid smirked back and the two parted ways.

* * *

Phoenix sat alone in her dark room, lying down on the cold ground underneath her bed.

It was a habit. Back in Saint Forester, she would always sleep underneath the uncomfortable cots provided for Subjects. Because it caused her to feel safer and half-because it took a while for the scientists to find her and take her to the Room.

The timid girl shivered. The room was cold. She figured that winter must be coming around.

She'd always hear the guards talking about something called "_snow_", always wondering what it was.

Whatever it was, it was related to the winter season.

Phoenix frowned and wiped her eyes, attempting to shove the memories out of her mind. She brought her knees to her chest in an attempt to warm herself.

Then she remembered her hair. Her hair could turn into fire, and fire gave off warmth, right?

Hopefully it wouldn't burn the bed.

Phoenix crawled out from underneath her precious sanctuary and sat in the corner with her back to the wall. Concentrating on her emotions, she closed her fiery eyes and took a deep breath.

Then there was a light, and the timid girl could feel heat radiating upon her skin. She opened her eyes and looked up to see the tip of her fiery hair licking the air in anticipation. Smiling softly, Phoenix felt pleased with herself, glad she had finally been productive for once.

The girl stood and put her hands up to her hair, afraid to touch it in fear that she'll get burned. But since her scalp didn't get burnt, would the rest of her body?

Phoenix hesitantly pricked her flaming hair with the tip of her finger and blinked after feeling no pain. Just...comforting warmth.

She raked her fingers through the flames and giggled. It was like silky ribbons. It was warm and...just plain comforting. There were no other words for it. The girl sat back down on the ground, a small smile on her face as she leaned her head against the wall. And then she fell asleep, a single happy tear streaming down her cheek.

For once, she wasn't in pain. For once, she wasn't useless.

And for once, she had something to call her own.

_Her name was Phoenix, and she was NOT worthless._

* * *

**_*is currently listening to Guren no Yumiya while writing AoT fanfiction, reading the AoT manga, watching Episode 14 of AoT, and while wearing a Survey Corps shirt*_**

**_What? Obsessed with Attack on Titan? WhY I NEVER  
_**

**_Anyways, I was giggling like an idiot while writing the confrontation between Kid and Soul XD I'm so stupid_**

**_I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I just got back from school -.-_**

**_Review! Favorite! Follow! _**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
****

"Soul, you better clean up! Everyone's coming over for dinner, and that includes Phoenix!" Maka exclaimed as she walked into his room, taking out a broom and beginning to sweep.

The albino tossed his head back and sighed. "Fine, fine," he muttered and began to walk into the kitchen, but not before catching a glance at the green-eyed girl's ass.

Her short skirt sometimes gave Soul a good view of it.

The albino smirked, his cheeks pink, before walking away.

* * *

The others arrived shortly after Maka and Soul set out the food on the table.

Tsubaki and Black*Star had been tasked with retrieving Phoenix, and she looked as terrified as ever as the blue-haired assassin blasted about his greatness.

Maka took the timid girl gently by the arm and led her to a seat in between herself and Crona. Kid sat down across from Phoenix and glared at Soul and Black*Star when they gave him suggestive grins.

"This looks great," Tsubaki said with a light laugh, "Did you two make this yourself?"

"Yup!" Maka replied proudly and smiled, "So dig in!"

Phoenix stared at the seemingly endless quantity of food. She had never been fed anything but bread, water, and oatmeal in her life.

"Phoenix? You okay?" Liz questioned when she noticed the girl eyeing the meals oddly.

The girl gasped in surprise and blushed in embarrassment, looking down at her lap. "Y-Yes! I-I-I'm fine! I've just...n-never seen this much f-food before..."

Maka giggled slightly and took out a clean plate, setting a few items upon it and placing it in front of Phoenix. Then she handed the girl a fork and smiled, "Here. Try some."

Phoenix bit her lip (an action that Kid thought was incredibly adorable) and stabbed a slice of steak with the fork. Placing it in her mouth hesitantly, she began to chew until a small smile broke across her face.

The girls squealed at her cuteness and Kid widened his eyes. It was the first time he had seen her smile. And it was absolutely and utterly the cutest thing he had ever seen.

Kid's face broke out into a blush and he looked to the side to hide it, but Liz and Maka caught it just in time to share an evil grin.

"T-This is...good," Phoenix whispered in amazement, her eyes sparkling. An anime background of sparkles and roses appeared behind her as she became a cute, smiling chibi girl while eating more steak.

Soul and Black*Star sweatdropped.

As Crona shyly started a conversation with Phoenix (with the help of Maka), Kid couldn't help but notice the timid girl's appearance.

Since winter season was coming around, most of the people in Death City were dressed in warm clothing (yes, it can get cold in Nevada).

Phoenix was dressed a black, long-sleeved sweater with a white-and-black checkered vest atop it, dark denim skinny jeans with red-plaid fabric underneath the tears and rips, and cute beige boots with fur on them. Her hair was tied into a ponytail with some strands hanging down.

Liz elbowed Kid and wiggled her eyebrows. The shinigami became a million shades of red as he swatted her away, but he couldn't help but notice that Phoenix's bangs and the rips in her jeans were asymmetrical. Yet she was cute nonetheless.

He would take care of her asymmetry later.

* * *

Phoenix had tried many new foods and drinks. She wasn't too fond of Red Mountain Dew or strawberry jam, but she discovered that Nutella, Coca-Cola, and Baked Lays were Heaven. Maka even gave her a jar of Nutella to take with her to her "home".

Liz looked at Kid as she and Patty walked with him to the Gallows Mansion. "...Did you convince Phoenix to try Nutella?" she asked, remembering the shinigami's unnatural obsession with the hazelnut spread.

Kid blushed lightly and crossed his arms. "I did no such thing," he declared firmly, "She simply has the skills to realize what an important part Nutella plays in society!"

"And what is that?"

"It's freaking delicious."

* * *

**In pretty much all my fanfictions, Kid's a Nutellaholic. Like me. So yeah. XD**

**Review! Favorite! Follow!**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12  
****

That morning, when Kid and his Weapons walked into class, they were surprised to see Phoenix frozen in place in front of Black*Star, who was holding his arm while Tsubaki kneeled beside him.

"YOU FUCKING BURNED ME!" Black*Star yelled angrily, his eyes blazing.

The very ends of Phoenix's hair were a faint orange-red and were flickering in the air slightly. Kid, Liz, and Patty rushed to the scene. Maka was trying to get the timid girl to respond.

Her eyes were glossy, her cheeks had tears streaming down, and her face was stricken with fright. "I-I-I-I'm so sorry!" she sputtered, concealing her face with her hands and shaking her head.

As Tsubaki and Soul rushed Black*Star to the infirmary, Maka grasped Phoenix's hand.

"NO!" the timid girl shrieked, jerking her hand away and stumbling. She fell back on the floor and choked out a sob, "No, I-I don't wanna hurt you too!"

"Phoenix, it's going to be fine!" Maka assured frantically, "It was an accident!"

"N-No, no, no!" Phoenix sobbed, picking herself up and stumbling slightly, "Just..."

She didn't finish her sentence. She bolted out of the room before anyone could say anything.

Kid blinked and looked at Maka. "That was one hell of a scene to walk into," he grumbled as the two went after Phoenix, the Thompson sisters going after to see Black*Star.

* * *

"Phoenix!" Maka and Kid called with a sigh.

After searching the entire school and underneath it, they found no trace of Phoenix. Now they were searching in the forest near the school.

Dodging trees as they walked, they suddenly heard a faint sob. Following the noise, the pair eventually made it to Phoenix. Her hair was licking the air as it crackled slightly, the blazes blowing lightly in the wind. Tears that somehow didn't faze her fiery hair were streaming down her face.

And the entire area around and underneath her was black and charred. Phoenix looked at her hands and trembled. Just as she was about to have a panic attack, Maka rushed to her side, careful not to brush the flames.

The girl jumped, startled. "No! G-Get away!" she sobbed, her tears dripping against the burnt grass.

Kid then remembered something his father told him when Phoenix first arrived. Shinigamis were resistant to fire. How convenient.

The shinigami kneeled beside the timid girl and brushed a strand of her fiery hair back. Phoenix's eyes widened to the size of saucers as she stared at Kid. "I-I...It didn't..."

"I suppose shinigamis are resistant," Kid mused with an amused smirk.

The timid girl looked over at Maka and covered her mouth with her hand. "I-I'm...I'm so sorry!" she cried frantically, squeezing her eyes shut.

"It's okay," the green-eyed girl assured with a smile, carefully squeezing Phoenix's hand, "Let's go see if Black*Star's okay."

* * *

The blue-haired assassin glared at Phoenix coldly, his burnt arm wrapped up in bandages. He sat on the edge of the bed next to Tsubaki, who was assuring him that the timid girl hadn't meant to burn him.

"Yeah, whatever," he hissed, "No one burns a powerful God like me and gets away with it." Black*Star stood, shoving a finger into Phoenix's face. "I challenge you to a duel. Right now."

"B-But! Black*Star!" Tsubaki protested, standing up frantically, "Your arm!"

"I fought with my hands in my pockets before," the egotistical blunette boasted proudly, smirking at Phoenix's terrified expression.

"But you lost..." Kid muttered, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes.

"_Makaaaaa_...CHOP!" Maka brought down her book on top of the assassin's head and growled, "You idiot! Phoenix doesn't know _how_ to fight!"

"'Course she does," Black*Star laughed, narrowing his eyes slyly, "She just burnt my arm. So of course she knows how to defend herself, at least."

"Phoenix?" Tsubaki questioned softly, taking a step closer to the girl who had just been challenged. She was trembling, scratching her arm subconsciously.

Maka raised her eyebrows, and gasped when Phoenix suddenly collapsed. She chopped Black*Star again before rushing to the girl's side.

"You idiot!" the green-eyed girl cursed, "You probably brought back intense memories!"

Kid swooped the girl up in his arms and set her down gently on the bed. Phoenix's face was twisted in discomfort and fear. The shinigami furrowed his eyebrows at Black*Star and then turned to the green-eyed girl.

"Maka, may I borrow your book?"


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13  
****

"It's pretty cold, Phoenix. Do you want to borrow my scarf?"

"N-No, I-I'm fine. I-I might burn it..."

Maka and Phoenix were walking alongside each other through Death City. The ground was covered in snow and the temperature below 36 degrees.

The two girls were dressed in their winter clothes, but the green-eyed girl couldn't help but notice that Phoenix looked a bit weaker and slower.

"We're almost to Kid's!" Maka exclaimed, "I don't know how much longer I can take this cold. Wanna go see if they're home?"

Phoenix turned to the green-eyed girl with flushed cheeks. She was quite cold herself. She opened her mouth to speak, but shut it and nodded silently. Maka smiled brightly and clasped Phoenix's gloved hand, leading her towards the large Gallows Mansion.

The green-eyed girl happily knocked on the door. "I'LL GET IT~!" Patty's voice rang from inside and the front door swung open.

Standing there in a white sweater, the bubbly blonde giggled at the sight of Maka and Phoenix. "Hey, guys~!" she laughed happily, "What are you doing here?"

"Jesus Christ, it's freezing out there!" Liz cried, ushering the two shivering girls inside the warm mansion, "Get in here before you die of hypothermia!"

Phoenix raised an eyebrow in confusion, but let it go. She would ask Maka what that was later.

"Liz? Patty? Who is it?" the familiar voice of Death the Kid called from the hallway, the owner of the smooth and silky tone striding in a few seconds later.

He stared at Maka and Phoenix for a moment before smiling. "Hey," he greeted cheerfully, his heart picking up, "What are you two doing here?"

"Well..." Maka scratched the back of her neck sheepishly, "We were walking, it got cold, and your place was nearby."

Kid chuckled before running a hand through his hair and pointing towards the kitchen. "Would you like some hot chocolate?"

"Oh, yes, please!" The green-eyed girl's mouth watered at the mention of the shinigami's amazing hot chocolate. "Thanks!"

"W-What's that?" Phoenix asked. Maka jumped in surprise, having forgotten that the girl had been there.

Kid took a step closer to her and smiled softly. "Come with me," he offered, "And I'll show you!"

Phoenix removed her coat and her wet, snowy boots before hesitantly going to follow Kid into the kitchen. Maka gave the shinigami a "I'm-watchin'-you" signal before the pair disappeared. Before going over to get the chocolate mix, Kid looked at Phoenix.

She was dressed in a blue-and-black striped sweater-type dress with long sleeves. The dress was below-the-shoulder and ended at a quite short length. She had high white socks that went past the knee and had a single blue stripe at the top. Her pretty dark hair was tied into two braids before coming together as one single braid at the bottom.

Kid blushed and then returned to the hot chocolate, clearing his throat. The timid girl hesitantly took a step closer to him, her hands behind her back shyly as she watched the shinigami mix the items together.

"I-Is hot chocolate...um, g-good?" Phoenix stuttered, staring down at her feet.

"Don't do that," Kid ordered, adjusting the girl's position and pursing his lips, "It makes you asymmetrical." Then he smiled and turned back to the hot chocolate. "And yes, it is very satisfying."

* * *

Kid handed Maka and Phoenix a cup of hot chocolate. While the green-eyed girl dropped small marshmallows into hers, the timid girl merely stared into the mug.

"Try it," Maka chuckled, lifting the mug to her lips and taking a sip, "It's a bit hot, though."

"I-I...quite like the heat..." Phoenix mumbled, looking over at Kid and Maka skeptically. The two blinked before realizing what she meant.

The timid girl hesitantly lifted the cup, letting a bit of the hot liquid run down her throat. Then she sighed happily and drank a bit more.

"It's...really good," she said softly, for once not stuttering. The shinigami widened his eyes slightly before blushing, covering his mouth with his hand and biting his lip.

Maka burst out laughing at his expression and nearly fell off the chair. The timid girl flinched and looked at both of them.

"A-Ah...did I do something f-funny...?"

"No, it's not you!" the green-eyed girl laughed, "It's Kid!"

Phoenix looked at the shinigami, staring deeply into his eyes. Kid blinked, and the two were lost in each other's eyes for a moment. The timid girl bit her lip before downcasting her gaze to the swirling liquid in her blue mug. She played with the hem of her sweater-dress before looking at Maka.

"Ah...Phoenix," Kid observed, pointing to the end of her hair, "Your hair is lighting up."

The girl looked behind her and squeaked. "A-Ah, m-maybe...I should go..." she mumbled shyly, her face heating up in embarrassment.

"Kid'll walk you home!" Liz exclaimed, throwing a coat at the shinigami's face and shoving him towards Phoenix, "Bye~!"

"What?" Maka questioned as Kid reluctantly put on the coat and his boots, leading Phoenix outside so they wouldn't face Liz's wrath.

"Now we just need you and Soul," Patty giggled, looking at the green-eyed girl and enjoying her embarrassment.

* * *

**I don't ship SoMa. In fact, I hate it. But my friend wanted it in the story so I put it there. But believe me, it isn't going to show up very often.**

**Our main focus here is Phoenix and Kid.**

**And hey, is my writing okay? I feel it's too childish. I know I'm not the best writer, but...please let me know if my writing isn't good. I'll try to fix it up to the best of my ability.**

**Thank you for all the favorites and follows and reviews! I love them!  
**

**Love you all! Stay strong!**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14  
****

"'Compatible...w-with a Weapon'...?" Phoenix repeated shyly, leaning back slightly as Lord Death leaned forward.

"Precisely~!" the Grim Reaper sang happily, and seemed to smile when the tension from Phoenix's shoulders disappeared, "Since you're a possible Meister, you need a Weapon!"

Phoenix bit her lip, "L-Like Soul...?"

"Yes!" Lord Death cheered, patting the girl's head. Phoenix blushed lightly and pressed her lips into a straight line, scratching her arm subconsciously.

"Hmm...let's see..."

* * *

Spirit put both hands on Phoenix's shoulders as he pushed her towards another girl. The timid girl shook his hands off and bit her lip.

"Phoenix, meet Akuma Kashinami!" Lord Death exclaimed, gesturing to the slightly taller girl, "She's a Weapon without a Meister!"

The timid girl stared at Akuma. The Japanese teen had shoulder-length midnight black hair and reddish-brown eyes. She was dressed in a sailor uniform; common for Japanese.

"Phoenix-san," Akuma addressed, testing the name. She held out her hand, "Shall we test our soul resonance?"

Phoenix's hand trembled as she reached out, but hesitantly wrapped her fingers around Akuma's. Then there was a strange feeling.

It was as if her soul itself was being tugged.

"So it's true," Akuma mused to herself, though Phoenix was able to catch it, "You truly have the blood."

The timid girl was about to ask what she meant, but Lord Death spoke up before anyone else could.

"Great~!" he sang excitedly, "Now, Akuma, what is your Weapon form?"

"A katana," she replied bluntly.

Phoenix could almost see a glint in Lord Death's mask's eyeholes. "Would you mind demonstrating it?" the Grim Reaper inquired.

Akuma glanced down at Phoenix. "You sure Phoenix-san can take it?"

Everyone stared at the timid girl for a moment, causing her to feel awkward and uncomfortable.

"Perhaps we should wait until their souls fully connect," Lord Death suggested, and then shooed them off with his large hands, "Go on! Go to class! You don't want to be late!"

After the two girls were out of sight, Spirit turned to stare at Lord Death.

"You sure pairing Phoenix up with the Weirdo Demon is a good idea?"

"Of course I do! They both have the same blood."

"Wait...WHAT!?"

* * *

***starts singing _Centuries_ by Fall Out Boy***

**LOL CONFUSED YET?! AND NO AKUMA AND PHOENIX AREN'T RELATED. IT'LL BE EXPLAINED LATER I SWEAR**

**Short chapter sorry .**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15  
****

"Ready?"

"...Y-Yeah!"

Akuma jumped into the air and flipped before transforming into her form. Phoenix clumsily caught her in her hands and admired the design for a moment. The Japanese teen was a beautiful, sleek, jet-black katana with a nice handle and a white flower design on the side. Phoenix swung Akuma around experimentally and then laughed lightly.

"Looks like you've got your Weapon!" Soul exclaimed as he and Maka walked up to them.

Phoenix gave them a small smile and Akuma transformed back into her human form.

And that's when the albino flipped out.

"ACK! IT'S THE WEIRDO DEMON!"

"MAKA CHOP!"

"OW!"

Akuma smirked deviously and stared at Soul with her head tilted tauntingly. "Aw, did your girlfriend whack you with a book?" she gushed in a baby voice.

"SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!"

"You sure?"

"N-YES! I'M SURE!"

Akuma raised an eyebrow and gave an incredulous glance at Maka, who blushed profusely and flailed her arms in the air in protest and defense.

"Right. You two are totally not in love."

Phoenix blinked in confusion before realizing that the ends of her hair were lighting up. She squeaked in surprise and looked at Maka frantically.

"It's alright," Akuma assured, patting the timid girl's head, "You can't control it yet, Phoenix-san."

The green-eyed girl and the albino gave her strange looks, but shook it off and proceeded to walk to class.

* * *

"You're in love, Kid!" Liz's voice cried, "Just admit it!"

"I am most certainly NOT in love!"

"KIDDOOOO~!" Patty shrieked and then groaned, "TURN THIS INTO A SEXY HENTAI FANFICTION! God, the author is making all this boring shit happen!"

"The author always gets so distracted," Liz laughed, covering her mouth with her hand, "Like, one time, instead of writing a new chapter, she was reading smutty fanfictions instead."

"What are you two talking about?" Kid questioned in confusion.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it."

The shinigami gave them suspicious looks, but shook it off for later. When he walked into class, the first thing he saw was Phoenix talking happily to another student.

The Japanese one called "The Weirdo Demon". Plainly because of her cryptic demeanor and reddish eye hue.

And the fact that her soul was red and a bit odd.

Liz elbowed Kid in the ribs, causing him to spazz about how she had to elbow both sides to protect the symmetry. Needless to say, the elder Thompson was happy to. The students sat down, and the timid girl quietly moved to her new seat next to her Weapon. The two spent the rest of the class passing notes and giggling.

Kid had never seen Phoenix look so happy.

* * *

**Oh, please, Kid, everyone knows you're in love.**

**AND SORRY FOR THE SHORT CHAPTER. I'VE BEEN WORKING ON MY ATTACK ON TITAN FANFICTIONS ON WATTPAD AND SHIT LIKE THAT.**

**FORGIVE ME MINNA-SANNNNNNNNNN**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16  
****

"Phoenix, this is Miss Marie," Maka introduced with a smile, "She's a Death Scythe."

The girl stared up in awe at the beautiful Death Scythe, marveled by her calm, comforting aura.

Marie smiled and giggled rather girlishly. She patted Phoenix on the head, much to the latter's shock. "You're a cute one!" the woman exclaimed happily, "Maka told me all about your fire abilities!"

Phoenix blushed shamefully, looking down at the ground.

Marie smiled. "Would you like to take a walk through the town?" she asked kindly, her eyebrows raised.

The timid girl glanced up in surprise and widened her glowing eyes. When she realized that the woman wasn't kidding, she hesitantly nodded and the two left together, Maka waving happily.

* * *

As Marie and Phoenix walked through town, the woman kept up with small talk. Well, somewhat small talk.

"Subjects would sometimes be sold on the black market," Phoenix replied after Marie had asked about them, surprised she wasn't stuttering or tripping over her words, "But some of the doctors' children would become Subjects..."

"And...what were you?" Marie asked softly, her eyebrow raised in concern.

Phoenix stopped for a moment and thought deep, scouring her mind for any traces of memories. But most of her memories were dark and painful.

Her face twisted in pain, and the timid girl sighed. "I-I'm...I'm not sure..." she mumbled.

Marie smiled sadly. "I'm sure you had loving parents."

Phoenix didn't answer. The blonde she was with nearly freaked out, but offered to go get ice cream for the two and left without hearing the timid girl's answer.

"Hm?" a voice suddenly said from behind her, "She left? Such a pity. She was a beauty."

Phoenix turned around, holding her arm and biting her lip. And who the man was nearly caused her to scream.

"It _is_ you!" the man exclaimed, and then his expression became dark, "#214-44...Seems like you _were_ a success story."

Phoenix covered her mouth with her hands and tried to run away, but the doctor snatched her and pinned her against the wall in a convenient alleyway.

The man grabbed her jaw and stared into your eyes. "The demon's blood had an odd effect, eh?" he whispered darkly, nearly crushing Phoenix's arm with his inhuman grip.

Phoenix widened her eyes. _Demon's blood!? Was that what was in the syringe!?_

"Phoenix!" Marie yelled, seeing the situation she was in.

Momentarily distracted, the man looked at the blonde. The timid girl took her chance to escape and wriggled her way out of his grip.

Before the doctor could grab her again, Phoenix somehow channeled her abilities and used flames to push him against the wall. And before she realized what she had done, Marie grabbed Phoenix and bolted out of there.

* * *

"Phoenix! Are you okay!?" Maka cried, clasping her hand on the girl's shoulder as she trembled.

"T-They somehow got...got out! H-_How_...did they find...Death City..? It can't be a coincidence!" she mumbled frantically to herself, clutching each side of her head, "T-They're looking for me...a-and they found me...!"

Tears dripped on the floor, steaming slightly. Marie stared at it for a moment before kneeling down and lifting Phoenix's chin.

"Hey," she said softly and comfortingly, "If you want, you can come stay with me. I bought an apartment a little ways, and I'll protect you. How does that sound?"

Phoenix sniffed. "I-I don't want to be a burden..."

"She can stay with me," Akuma declared as she walked up, "After all, we're partners."

The timid girl widened her eyes in surprise, flinching when Marie clapped her hands together and beamed.

"That's a wonderful idea!" the excitable blonde exclaimed, "I can help you move!"

"I'll help too!" Maka offered, putting up a hand and laughing.

Phoenix stared at them in amazed disbelief before shifting her gaze to the ground. Maybe she could trust them after all.


	17. Chapter 17

**Thanks for the all the favorites/follows/reviews! Like holy shit I never expected any to be honest XD**

* * *

Chapter 17  
****

Phoenix sat up in her bed, confused as to why her surroundings were different.

But then she remembered. She lived with Akuma now.

Akuma had lived alone in an old, worn-down apartment building. From the outside, the building looked frightening and gloomy, but on the inside, it was an actually quite comforting home.

The Japanese teen's mother had died in childbirth and she had no idea who her father was, plus she was only a year away from being a full adult.

"Oi, Phoenix-san!" Akuma called from the kitchen, "I got breakfast ready!"

The timid girl smiled faintly and climbed out of bed, rubbing her eyes and stalking off towards her Weapon. Akuma was fully dressed and her hair was tied in a messy bun, and compared to Phoenix, she looked like an angel.

"I made eggs," the Japanese teen stated without turning around, pointing towards the table.

Phoenix nodded once and sat down. Her mind raced with thoughts of what the man had said; what the scientist had claimed what was in the syringe. It seemed like it had been forever since Saint Forester. The firehead (what people at school had been calling her) sighed, accidentally calling the attention of her Weapom.

"Phoenix-san. What's up?" Akuma asked, siting down in the chair across from her Meister backwards, quite similar to the way Professor Stein does.

"U-Um...nothing," Phoenix replied quickly, "I'm fine."

"Does it have to do with yesterday?"

The timid girl widened her eyes. "W-What!? H-How did you know!?"

Akuma shrugged nonchalantly and Phoenix could have sworn her eyes changed color for a split second, "Our souls are connected. I can tell what you're feeling."

"I can't tell what YOUR feeling..." Phoenix muttered.

The Japanese teen chuckled and ruffled her dark hair. "You're very emotional, Phoenix-san. Maybe it's a result of your fire abilities. After all..." She paused.

"...Fire is an element that spirals out of control."

* * *

Akuma and Phoenix walked into the DWMA, and we're immediately greeted by their friends. Well, Phoenix was. It was going to take a little getting used to hanging around the Weirdo Demon all the time.

Marie also excitedly welcomed Phoenix. "Hey, Phoenix! I have an idea!"

"Hmm?" the timid girl questioned softly, looking up at the woman with curious eyes.

Marie wasn't sure how to word her next sentences, but she tried anyways. "Well...this may seem a bit odd...but we're gathering up a team and investigating Saint Forester."

Phoenix widened her eyes, horrible memories and images coming to mind. "W-Why would you do _that_..?" she whispered brokenly as Maka quickly rushed to her side.

The blonde woman scratched the back of her neck and smiled sheepishly. "We think that some important information could be there. I mean, they most likely had records of each of their Subjects. Maybe we could find yours!"

Maka stared at Phoenix hesitantly, noticing her reluctance. Kid also walked up and put a hand on the timid girl's shoulders. "...Phoenix?"

"I want to go too."

"What!?"

"I'm...I..." Phoenix bit her lip, remembering the "demon's blood" incident, "...I want to see. I can't keep running away from it." She put a hand to her chest, sighing at the heat radiating off her skin. "It's a part of me now. I...have to."

Marie nodded. "I understand."

Phoenix smiled softly and then turned to Kid sheepishly. "Uhm...c-can you come too...?"

At the shinigami's surprised look, the timid girl blushed and stammered helplessly. "I-I-I mean, uh...y-you saved me from S-Saint Forester...so...I would feel...um...s-safer...ah..."

Kid put a hand up and chuckled lightly. "Of course. If it makes you feel safer, then I'll accompany you."

Phoenix exhaled, relief washing over her. She clasped her hands behind her back and waved awkwardly, walking backwards and stumbling towards Akuma. The two then left to their training.

"She's so...cute..." Kid mumbled to himself, a small blush dusting his cheeks.

Patty blinked and then giggled. "I'LL PLAN THE WEDDING!" She ran off screaming and Kid blushed even harder.

"PATTY! NO! WHAT!?"


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18  
****

Burned to the ground.

That's what Saint Forester Research Facility was.

And Phoenix had caused it all.

Kid was standing next to her, his hand on her forearm to reassure her. He felt the heat waving off her growing stronger and knew her emotions were on edge. Also, he could tell by the way the edges of her hair were waving lightly.

Marie stared at the ruins of Saint Forester and grimaced at the sight of the ashes scoured across the charred grass. Phoenix felt tears well up in her eyes, horrid and terrifying images of the day she was rescued popping up in her vivid, active mind.

But then she remembered Kid saving her and everything was alright.

* * *

Phoenix's breath was shaky as she entered the room where the files on all of the Subjects used to be. The walls were somewhat intact, and one of the metal cabinets was on the ground; burnt papers and folders were spread about the room.

But there was one toppled cabinet that looked okay. Phoenix and Kid lifted it up, and the timid girl soon learned that they were the only two people in the room. The others must have went off elsewhere.

Phoenix opened one drawer easily. A few of the corners of papers were singed, but everything seemed readable and intelligible. She pulled one out and opened the folder, blushing lightly when Kid read over her shoulder.

Patty had asked once if Phoenix knew how to read. When she claimed that she was unable to, the Thompson sisters had helped her to learn and she soon became very intelligent in such a short amount of time.

"'Xavier Mallace, male, age 12, 12/3/2002'," Kid read aloud and then pursed his lips. He moved past Phoenix and took another folder out.

Phoenix did the same.

The one she held revealed a photo of a sad little girl. "'Anna Harris, female, age 5, birthday unknown'," she whispered with a frown and then sighed.

Suddenly, Kid threw the folder he was holding against the wall. Phoenix jumped and gasped in surprise, whirling around with wide eyes.

"I apologize," the shinigami sighed, clenching his fists, "But...this place is a disgrace. It's horrible."

The timid girl dropped her head. "Trust me..." she mumbled in a tiny voice, "...I know."

After a few minutes of silence, they began searching again. Then Kid opened one folder and stared at the photo featured. Phoenix watched in confusion as Kid's expression turned strange. He flickered his eyes up and down from the folder to Phoenix over and over again.

"Um...Phoenix?"

"Y-Yeah?"

Kid closed the folder and held it out to her with two raised eyebrows. The timid girl's fingers brushed against the top. She bit her lip and took it in her hands, and then opened it slowly.

She gaped.

The photo was of her. She faintly recalled the photo being taken merely a few days before the facility was burnt down. Her hair was in its messy, grungy, dark form and her eyes were an ugly shade of dull gray.

It _WAS_ her.

Phoenix quickly stared at the information, and her eyes watered.

She read the contents aloud in a broken whisper:

"'Emily Quincy, female, age 16, birthday unknown'..."

Kid took the folder from her and set it aside, and then gazed at her small, trembling form. He wrapped his arms around her, his chin resting atop her head. Phoenix buried her face in his chest, years streaming down her face and knees buckling weakly.

"I...shouldn't have come here..." she choked out, "...I'm not strong enough..."

Kid stroked her hair, playing with the fiery edges. "You're one of the strongest people I know."

When Phoenix gasped softly in surprise, Kid leaked a smile and continued, "You were able to face a lifetime of torture without breaking or worse, killing yourself. That's admirable. And you don't dwell on the past. You look to the future. That's something not many people are able to do."

She was silent. Amazed. Shocked.

"K-Kid..."

"So...your name's Emily..." the shinigami mumbled, pursing his lips, "It doesn't really fit you..."

"You're right," Phoenix giggled quietly and pulled away, wiping her eyes. She looked up at Kid and smiled. "But I know what does."

"What?"

"Phoenix," she replied with a blush, "Because it's the name you gave me."

Kid's face turned red and he turned away, muttering something along the lines of "Maka gave you that name too".

Phoenix giggled again and picked up her folder, holding it to her chest. The shinigami stared at her. And in that moment, he swore that angels were singing around her.

She was as pure as a flame in Kid's eyes.

* * *

**Wow cheesy and horrible chapter. YOLO.**

**Also, late update because I usually updated on my Chromebook that I got from school, but then they used some goddamn filtering thing that stopped me from going to this site and EVEN TUMBLR.**

**But for some reason it's working now...I have no idea why.**

**ANYWAYS HOPE YOU ENJOYED**

**REVIEW AND FAVORITE**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19  
****

Phoenix was worried.

Akuma hadn't been home when she woke up that morning. All that was left was a bowl of Fruity Pebbles with the name "Phoenix" on it.

She knew that her Weapon was probably fine, but she couldn't help but worry. After all, life was full of surprises. As if on cue, Akuma walked into the classroom and strode up to her Meister's desk. She leaned down slightly and held out some kind of rectangular object.

It was an iPhone.

"Here. I got this for ya," Akuma said with a devious smirk, opening Phoenix's hand and dropping the phone in her palm, "I already set it up and put mine and everyone else's numbers in it so don't worry."

The timid girl blinked and looked up shyly. "W-Why would you get this for me?"

"'Cause we're best friends now," Akuma replied in a matter-of-factly manner, "You know how to use it, right?"

"..."

The Japanese teen sighed. "Alright. I'll show ya."

* * *

"I'm waiting for Phoenix to get more comfortable around me! She'll say no if she doesn't trust me."

"Kid, no, you can't use that excuse anymore. If you don't ask her out now, you'll lose her. I've even overheard some guys talking about how cute she was."

"What!? Who!?"

"BAHAHAHA!"

"LIZ! DAMN IT, DON'T DO THAT!"

"Don't do what?" Akuma asked as she and Phoenix walked out of the class, noticing Liz and Kid arguing, "Where's Patty?"

Kid blushed slightly and straightened his back, clearing his throat and glaring at the older Thompson. "It's nothing. And Patty's out on a date with some guy she met at Chipotle."

Immediately, every girl in the DWMA stopped and turned their heads.

"CHIPOTLE!?"

Kid sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He let out an "oof" when Liz elbowed his side and smirked as she turned to the Japanese teen.

Liz gave Akuma a knowing look, and then walked out of sight.

The shinigami blushed a bit harder and then stared into Phoenix's eyes. Of course, he wasn't able to do that for long. The timid girl's eyes were hauntingly mesmerizing.

He sulked, lying facedown on the ground, mumbling something about "beautifully symmetrical eyes being the death of him". Phoenix blinked innocently and poked his shoulder with the tip of her shoe. When he only grunted in response, the firehead looked up at Akuma.

The Japanese teen groaned, facepalming and pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Baka."

* * *

"Hey, Phoenix-san!" Tsugumi exclaimed, running up to the timid girl with a flyer in her hand. Meme and Anya followed in pursuit, the forgetful girl looking around the halls.

"Y-Yes?"

"Did you hear? The DWMA is having a talent show!"

"A-A what...?"

"Wait, do you not know what a talent show is?"

Phoenix shook her head and blushed in embarrassment. Kim and Jacqueline walked up and the pinkette snatched the flyer.

"A talent show is where contestants sign up and perform in front of judges and an audience," Kim explained and then flashed a smile at Phoenix, "You should enter and do your little fire tricks."

"B-B-But! I-I don't know h-how to control them..."

Jacqueline raised an eyebrow in confusion. "But I have seen you performing them before."

The timid girl played with the hem of her skirt shamefully. "S-Sometimes it does what I want...sometimes i-it doesn't..."

The girls all looked at each other. "You should sing!" they exclaimed in unison.

"Can you sing, Phoenix-san?" Tsugumi asked excitedly, her hands laced together as she leaned forward expectantly.

The timid girl took a step back and shook her hands, sweatdropping. "I-I've never tried..."

Tsugumi shared a look with Kim. "We should sign you up for singing lessons then. The talent show is in three weeks! We'll get you in, don't worry!"

"B-But..." Phoenix tried, but the girls had already disappeared.

Akuma walked up behind her Meister and clasped a hand on her shoulder, causing Phoenix gasp and jump ten feet in the air. "Sorry," she apologized, "But I think this talent show would be good for you."

"H-Huh? H-How..?"

"Well, you could show off your skills and get Kid to like you."

"_EHHHHHH?!_"

* * *

**Yup.**

**Cliche talent show.**

**Soul Eater Not characters.**

**I went there.**


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20  
****

"'Singing lessons'?"

"Akuma, are you sure that's a good idea?"

Maka and Kid stared at the katana incredulously.

"Of course it's a good idea!" Akuma protested and then crossed her arms over her torso, "My God, have some faith in her!"

Maka frowned shamefully and then sighed. "Alright," she agreed, "Now that you mention it, it might help Phoenix open up a little."

"We're the ones who care about Phoenix the most," Akuma said and then sighed, "If you tell anyone else about her lessons, then they might try to mess it up."

"What? Why?" Kid questioned in confusion.

"Most of the students don't trust Phoenix," Miss Marie suddenly stated, walking up and clasping her hands behind her back. She exhaled, "Since she has uncontrollable fire abilities, they think she could be a witch. I overheard a few girls yelling at her, telling her to get out."

"WHAT!? WHO!?" Akuma and Kid demanded in unison, and then looked at each other.

Maka pursed her lips and furrowed her eyebrows. "Who's going to be teaching her?"

"I don't know," Akuma replied firmly, but then clenched her fists, "But I'm going with Phoenix. I'm her Weapon and I'm supposed to protect her. I'm not going to let a silly bullying matter hurt her."

She turned to the other three with a smirk. "Besides, we've already decided on what song to sing at the show."

"Wait, you're performing together?" Marie questioned, raising her eyebrows and then smiling brightly, "That's a wonderful idea! That way Phoenix won't be scared about performing alone!"

Kid crossed his arms. "She isn't completely dependent."

They stared at him in surprise. Was he defending her?

The shinigami furrowed his eyebrows. "You're talking like she's a helpless creature. Well, she's not. She's strong, passionate, and absolutely capable of handling situations on her own. She just needs help getting up on her feet. I don't think she would appreciate being treated like a baby."

Maka stared at the ground sheepishly. "Kid's right. I'm sorry."

He unfolded his arms and put his hands on his hips. "One day she'll do something amazing by herself and there's nothing we'll be able to do about it."

* * *

Akuma opened the door to Addison's Music Studio, a small building in the towny part of Death City. She led Phoenix in, noticing that the girl looked a bit frightful.

The woman at the desk looked up and beamed. "Oh, hello!" she greeted happily, "Do you have an appointment?"

"I'm Akuma Kashinami, and this is my Meister Phoenix. She's here for her singing lessons."

The receptionist blinked and then typed something on her computer. She looked back up at the two girls and smiled softly. "Ah, yes, alright. Just go through that door and it's the fourth room to the right."

"Thanks," Akuma responded and grabbed Phoenix's wrist, dragging her to the door and heading towards the room the woman had stated.

Once they entered, a young woman with curly brown hair turned around and gasped. "Oh! You must be Akuma and Phoenix! You're even lovelier than I thought! I'm Addison, it's a pleasure to meet you!"

Addison walked up and shook Phoenix's hand, the girl blushing slightly and taking a step back in response. The curly-haired woman looked at Akuma and pursed her lips when the Japanese teen whispered the situation in her ear.

"So you need to learn how to sing for a talent show?" Addison questioned and Phoenix nodded. The woman chuckled softly and led the timid girl towards the stand that had a short song on it.

"Alrighty then. Let's get started!"

* * *

**"The timid girl" is stupid and I had no other ideas XD**

**I can't change it because I don't want to go to the other chapters I've written up and edit it all. So deal with it XD**

**Review! Don't be a silent reader! I really want to know if I'm doing okay! I've been told by a lot of people that my writing is awful because I'm too young (I'm 14).**

**THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING; THE REVIEWS, FAVORITES, FOLLOWS!**

**I LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUu**


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21  
****

Phoenix and Akuma were showing Lord Death their progress. Even though they had rarely practiced together, the Grim Reaper had a feeling that their souls were bonded enough to try Soul Resonance.

So they decided to go outside to do it.

Akuma transformed into her Weapon form, and Phoenix caught her swiftly. The timid girl swung her around before taking a deep breath and listening to her own heartbeat.

"LET'S GO! SOUL RESONANCE!" They yelled in unison.

Almost instantly, Phoenix's hair burst into flames and a ring of fire circled around her katana, causing the blade to ignite.

Lord Death watched expectantly as Phoenix's eyes began to glow. Surprised, he tried to speak to her as the blade of her katana grew larger and darker - yet it was still engulfed in flames.

But then the flames on the blade exploded, causing Phoenix to fly back into a tree and her hair to go out. Akuma quickly changed back into her human form and made sure her Meister was okay.

"Hm, maybe that wasn't such a good idea..." Lord Death mused, scratching his chin, "But...I just don't understand."

"U-Understand...what?" Phoenix questioned as she staggered to her feet, running her back and wincing.

"Your fire abilities seemed to fuse with your Soul Resonance. That means they're a part of your soul."

The timid girl widened her eyes. "W-What does that m-mean?"

Akuma blinked. "That means I'll have your abilities as well during Soul Resonance."

Phoenix chewed on her lip and stared at her feet. "I-I'm sorry..."

Lord Death suddenly patted her head and cocked his head when she looked up. "It's quite alright, Phoenix! You just weren't ready. You probably need to learn to control your abilities more."

Phoenix scratched the back of her neck and tried to say something, but was suddenly grabbed by Akuma and dragged back into the DWMA.

The Grim Reaper chuckled and waved, and when the timid girl was out of sight, he beamed and began fantasizing Kid and Phoenix's children running around and playing together.

"Oh~, Kiddo and Phoenix would be so adorable together~!"

* * *

"How are you doing in your singing lessons, Phoenix?" Maka asked curiously as she smiled at the girl.

Phoenix scratched her arm subconsciously, a habit that Maka noticed she seemed to do when she was either nervous, frightened, or when she didn't know how to respond.

"U-Um...O-okay, I think..." she mumbled unsurely, staring at her feet and blushing at her own stupidity.

Akuma looped an arm around Phoenix's shoulders, causing said girl to flinch in surprise. "My Meister's doing great! She's a wonderful singer, but she just needs to work on projecting her voice and her pitches."

Even though Phoenix didn't know what that mean, she nodded quietly.

"Are you a soprano or alto?"

"U-Um...what?"

"A soprano is a higher-pitched female singer while an alto is a lower-pitched one," Akuma explained quietly, and the timid girl nodded slowly.

"A-ah...um...m-my voice i-is a bit high..."

"So a soprano?"

"M-Mm-hmm."

A few of the male students from their class walked up, and one even threw a paper ball at Phoenix's head. She gasped in shock, jerking her head up and biting her lip.

The one who threw the ball sighed and shrugged. "Don't join in on the talent show thing," he groaned, scratching his neck, "You'll just humiliate yourself."

"_Makaaaaa_..."

"Wha-"

"CHOP!"

* * *

**huehehehe nobody messes with phoenix and gets away with it**

**NOT WHEN MAMA MAKA'S AROUND**

**also i just noticed what my profile picture is. captain levi eating a potato. how nice.**


	22. Chapter 22

**THE NEXT CHAPTER IS PART 1 OF THE TALENT SHOW**

**MUAHAHAHAHA**

* * *

Chapter 22  
****

Phoenix had discovered that she really, really, really loved music. So she was sitting on the rail of the balcony with Akuma, an earphone in each of their ears as they laughed and whispered to each other.

Kid, Liz, and Patty were spying on them - like ninjas, of course.

"Dude," Patty muttered irritably, "Ask her out already."

"I'm waiting for the right moment."

"Kid."

"What?"

"You're an idiot."

Akuma, seemingly having super-sonic hearing even with her music playing, snapped her head up and narrowed her eyes. "Hey!" she called, causing Phoenix to look up.

Needless to say, the "ninjas" have never ran faster in their entire lives.

* * *

"The talent show is tomorrow, Phoenix! Hope you have a wonderful performance!" Lord Death exclaimed excitedly after he checked up on said girl's progress, "Speaking of the talent show, what are you going to be doing?"

"Ah...I-I'm going to be s-singing w-with Akuma."

"Oh~, that'll be fun!"

"Uh...y-yeah..."

The Grim Reaper beamed and patted Phoenix lightly on the head. "It seems you've been gaining more control over your pyrokinesis!"

"I-I have?" Phoenix stammered in confusion, idly tugging on the hems of her long sleeves. She tilted her head and bit her lip nervously; she felt absolutely pathetic and stupid.

Lord Death nodded. "Well, you should be getting back to class now! And you have to practice for tomorrow!"

"R-Right...tomorrow...great..."

* * *

"Phoenix," Kid said as he walked up next to said girl. She turned around to face him, and the shinigami nearly died.

Today she was dressed in a gray hoodie that was a few sizes too large, causing the sleeves to barely hide her hands and cover her short-shorts. She wore furry brown boots to accompany the hoodie. Her hair was woven into a braid and swept over her shoulder, her bangs hanging in her fiery eyes.

To hide his nosebleed, Kid used his hand and cleared his throat. Phoenix looked absolutely confused and innocent, a wonderful look for her beautiful face.

She blinked and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "U-Um...K-Kid? Are you okay...?"

The way she said his name. He loved it.

The shinigami took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes, I'm fine." He uncovered his nose, feeling the blood flow stopping.

The timid girl smiled very faintly, a slight hue of pink coloring her cheeks. Kid widened his eyes and blushed, scratching the back of his head and looking away.

"I-Is there something you needed...?" she asked softly, as if she said something wrong something would happen.

Kid patted her shoulder awkwardly and then facepalmed. "Ah...I was wondering...if..."

"..."

"..."

"'If'...?"

"...Uh..." Kid coughed into his fist. He's never felt so nervous in his entire life. His heart was racing and his palms were sweating - definitely a new experience.

Phoenix bit her lip and stared at the ground.

"Um," Kid finally began, "I...hope you do well at the talent show."

The timid girl looked up and Kid swore he could feel the heat radiating off of her. The ends of her hair were being set aflame, and a furious blush spread across her face.

"U-Um...th-thank you! I-I have to go!"

And with that, she scurried away.

* * *

When Phoenix was out of Kid's sight, she leaned against the wall and put a hand over her racing heart. It was pounding out of her chest, something she had only experienced when she was terrified.

But she hadn't been terrified. In fact, she felt safe and comfortable with Kid.

Phoenix felt her hair burst into flames and looked at her hand when she felt something odd. For some reason, her veins seemed to glow an unearthly orange, sparkling and burning inside her skin.

Was it the demon's blood?

She sat on the ground and tucked her knees to her chest, burying her blushing face into her arms. She was confused. She didn't understand.

Phoenix just didn't know what was happening to her.

* * *

**i'm listening to the phoenix by fall out boy XD**

**how fitting**


	23. Chapter 23 - The Talent Show: Part 1

**There's four parts to this btw. It's like an arc in a manga.**

**The Talent Show arc...**

**...**

**...i really need fanart for this XD**

* * *

Chapter 23 - The Talent Show: Part 1  
****

It was the day of the talent show.

Eager contestants were gathered backstage, practicing and arguing with their partners (if they had any).

The judges were no other than Lord Death, Stein, and Spirit - for the lack of better judges.

Maka, Crona, Soul, Kid, Liz, and Patty were all seated in the audience, ready to cheer Phoenix and Akuma on. Unfortunately, Black*Star had forced Tsubaki to enter the talent show with him.

Phoenix was afraid. She didn't want to be humiliated like those boys said before Maka nearly killed them.

But Akuma assured that she'd be okay. Even though Phoenix was singing pretty much the entire song, and Akuma was partially the background, their voices together could even win the entire talent show.

Phoenix didn't go through weeks of lessons for nothing. It was now or never.

"Welcome to the 74th annual Hunger Games!" one of the students - who was acting as the announcer - announced jokingly. She earned a round of laugher from the audience and flashed a grin.

"JK, JK. What I meant was, welcome to the DWMA's annual talent show! According to Lord Death, this event is important because it helps us take our minds off the complicated things in life and just enjoy ourselves a little!" she exclaimed with a bright smile, "I'm your host, Lya Daniels! And without further ado, why don't we see who our first act is?"

Lya looked down at her clipboard and tapped the first name with her fingernail. She looked at the crowd and smirked. "Please welcome our first act - Black*Star and Tsubaki!"

* * *

All Black*Star had done was twirl Tsubaki around in her Weapon form and flexed his muscles. He didn't get much of a reaction from the crowd.

Most of the contestants had been singers and dancers, but there were a few magicians and stunt artists here and there.

Phoenix and Akuma were the 18th act to perform out of 25. They had set up their turn on the stage with strobe lights and a smoke machine, not different to any other performer though.

"It's now time for our next act - Phoenix and Akuma!" Lya exclaimed and moved out of the way.

The timid girl hesitated. Akuma squeezed her hand and sent her a reassuring smile. "If they don't like you," she said with a chuckle, "Then they're assholes and they don't matter."

Phoenix nodded once and the two walked out into the stage. Some people in the audience applauded them, and a few rowdy students whooped fake-encouragingly.

A few people watching were ready to see Firehead and Weirdo Demon fail.

Kid took a look at what Phoenix and Akuma were wearing. His crush was dressed in a simple white dress with a lace bustier, a silk black ribbon tied around the waist. Her hair was tied into a ponytail and curled slightly.

Her Weapon was dressed in a white tee-shirt with light denim skinny jeans and black converse. Her own hair was braided over her shoulder.

The effects began. The smoke poured out against the stage, hiding the floor and the girls' feet. Some of the smoke coiled around their legs, but only for a moment. The black and light blue lights began, making Phoenix's pale skin look like a faint blue.

Some of the crowd watched in awe as the haunting music began, and surprisingly, it was Phoenix who began singing first:

_How can you see into my eyes like open doors?_

_Lead you down into my core, where I've become so numb_

The audience was shocked at how beautiful her voice was. Apparently the singing lessons had done well.

_Without a soul, my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold_

_Until you find it there and lead it back home_

The music began to pick up, and a guitar was easily pinpointed as one of the main instruments.

_(Wake me up) Wake me up inside (I can't wake up)_

_Wake me up inside_

_(Save me) Call my name and save me from the dark (Wake me up)_

_Bid my blood to run (I can't wake up)_

_Before I come undone (Save me)_

_Save me from the nothing I've become_

_Now that I know what I'm without, you can't just leave me_

_Breathe into me and make me real_

_Bring me to life_

_(Wake me up) Wake me up inside (I can't wake up)_

_Wake me up inside_

_(Save me) Call my name and save me from the dark (Wake me up)_

_Bid my blood to run (I can't wake up)_

_Before I come undone (Save me)_

_Save me from the nothing I've become_

_Bring me to life (I've been livin' a lie; there's nothin' inside)_

_Bring me to life_

By this time, many in the audience were cheering, singing along, or recording the performance with their phone. Phoenix's worries had been all for nothing.

_Frozen inside without your touch_

_Without your love, darling_

_Only you are the life among the dead_

_(All of this time, I can't believe I couldn't see; kept in the dark, but you were there in front of me)_

_I've been sleepin' a thousand years, it seems_

_Got to open my eyes to everything_

_(Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul; don't let me die here, there must be somethin' more)_

_Bring me to life_

_(Wake me up) Wake me up inside (I can't wake up)_

_Wake me up inside_

_(Save me) Call my name and save me from the dark (Wake me up)_

_Bid my blood to run (I can't wake up)_

_Before I come undone (Save me)_

_Save me from the nothing I've become_

_Bring me to life (I've been livin' a lie; there's nothin' inside)_

_Bring me to life~_

The long note at the end brought all teasing and jeering to shame. Phoenix was able to project and carry out the high note, and when she finished it and stared at the crowd, she received an outstanding applause.

Not a standing ovation, but enough applause to reassure her of not being pathetic.

She beamed and took Akuma's hand, bowing before scurrying off the stage.

* * *

Phoenix couldn't keep the smile off her face. Even though this was only just the first round out of three, she felt as if she had a chance.

The first round was where everyone who entered performed. Then, since there had been 25 acts altogether, the 10 with the lowest scores determined by the judges would be eliminated.

The second round was where the 15 remaining acts would perform and compete for the Top Five, those of which who would make it to the final round - and then a winner would be determined from those five.

Akuma grinned deviously at Phoenix and patted her shoulder.

"C'mon, let's go touch up for Round 2."


	24. Chapter 24 - The Talent Show: Part 2

**wow i'm lame**

**also i don't own any of these songs being used**

**or Soul Eater**

**just my OCs**

**though you probs already knew that much**

* * *

Chapter 24 - The Talent Show: Part 2  
****

The lowest 10 acts had been eliminated. And thankfully, Phoenix and Akuma had been ranked 6th in the Top Fifteen.

And unsurprisingly, Black*Star and Tsubaki had been ranked in the lowest 10, and had been eliminated. The two sat near their friends in the audience, the assassin grumbling and on the edge of his seat in anticipation.

This time, the two girls were the 4th act to perform. While rehearsing their song (which, yet again, Phoenix sang the main part), Akuma noticed that her Meister looked unsure.

"Phoenix?" she asked in concern, "Are you okay?"

Said girl bit her lip and blushed. "I'm just...thinking. I-I want to impress people. N-Not seem...w-weak."

The Japanese teen blinked before a lightbulb went off in her head. "Oh, I see," she chuckled, "You want to impress a certain someone."

Phoenix blushed even heavier, confirming Akuma's observation.

"So who is it?"

The timid girl mumbled something unintelligible. Akuma sent her a deadpanned expression and Phoenix turned a dark shade of red, hiding her face behind the paper that read the lyrics.

"...Kid..."

* * *

Lya burst out laughing. "I knew this pair would make it through to Round 2!" she announced with a grin, wiggling her eyebrows and jumping in the air excitedly, "So, yet again, I welcome Phoenix and Akuma to the stage!"

The timid girl wasn't so timid to walk into the stage. In fact, she was quite excited.

This round, she was wearing a pink, below-the-shoulder designer shirt with ruffles, a pair of white skinny jeans with the bottoms rolled up slightly, and black converse. Her hair was tied up in a royal bun and the ends that hung down in her eyes were still curled from before.

Akuma wore the same, except instead of a pink shirt she wore green.

The effects were different as well. The room got dark, and a spotlight shined down on each of the girls as they sang throughout the course of the song.

And so the music began, and yet again, Phoenix was the first to sing. But she still seemed nervous.

_I knew you were_

_You were gonna come to me_

At the sound of the song, a few girls shrieked in excitement.

_And here you are_

_But you better choose carefully_

_'Cause I, I'm capable of anything_

_Of anything and everything_

_Make me your Aphrodite_

_Make me your one and only_

_But don't make me your enemy, your enemy, your enemy_

_So you wanna play with magic_

_Boy, you should know what you're falling for_

_Baby do you dare to do this?_

_Cause I'm coming at you like a dark horse_

_Are you ready for, ready for_

_A perfect storm, perfect storm?_

_Cause once you're mine, once you're mine_

_(There's no going back)_

Kid nearly had a nosebleed at how the two girls were dancing at the beat drop.

_Mark my words_

_This love will make you levitate_

_Like a bird_

_Like a bird without a cage_

_But down to earth_

_If you choose to walk away, don't walk away_

_It's in the palm of your hand now baby_

_It's a yes or no, no maybe_

_So just be sure before you give it all to me_

_All to me, give it all to me_

_So you wanna play with magic_

_Boy, you should know what you're falling for_

_Baby do you dare to do this?_

_Cause I'm coming at you like a dark horse_

_Are you ready for, ready for_

_A perfect storm, perfect storm?_

_Cause once you're mine, once you're mine (love trippin')_

And with no surprise, Akuma began to sing the part where Juicy J should be:

_(There's no going back_

_Uh, she's a beast; I call her Karma_

_She eats your heart out like Jeffrey Dahmer_

_Be careful; Try not to lead her on_

_Shorty's heart is on steroids 'cause her love is so strong_

_You may fall in love when you meet her_

_If you get the chance you better keep her_

_She's sweet as pie but if you break her heart, she'll turn cold as a freezer_

_That fairy tale ending with a knight in shining armor_

_She can be my Sleeping Beauty_

_I'm gon' put her in a coma_

_Woo!_

_Damn I think I love her_

_Shorty so bad, I'm sprung and I don't care_

_She ride me like a roller coaster_

_Turned the bedroom into a fair_

_Her love is like a drug_

_I was tryna hit it and quit it, but lil' mama so dope_

_I messed around and got addicted)_

_So you wanna play with magic_

_Boy, you should know what you're falling for (you should know)_

_Baby do you dare to do this?_

_Cause I'm coming at you like a dark horse (like a dark horse)_

_Are you ready for, ready for (ready for)_

_A perfect storm, perfect storm? (a perfect storm)_

_Cause once you're mine, once you're mine (mine)_

_There's no going back_

Singing the last note together, the two girls ended the song with a perfectly-dramatic flourish. Phoenix had pulled her hair out of the bun sometime during the song, and the crowd went wild.

There were more applauses than last time, but there were still the few that were too stubborn to admit that the Firehead and the Weirdo Demon were talented.

Kid widened his eyes. He never knew that Phoenix could learn how to sing so well. She must have really worked hard to get to that point.

He smiled. He knew that Phoenix was warming up to the world. Someday she wouldn't be the timid girl everyone knew.

She'd be the girl who kicked ass at the talent show.

* * *

"The judges have spoken," Lya said in an ominous tone, much to the amusement of everyone. Then, in a much more dramatic tone, she spoke, "The Top Five have been decided! If I call your names, please take a step forward."

Everyone waited in anticipation as the energetic announcer said the first name. "Amy Thorne."

Amy, one of the hip-hop dancers, took a step forward and watched her friends in the crowd give her encouraging looks.

"Erik Timberline, and the rest of his band because some of their names are really complicated," Lya sighed and sent said group an exasperated look. They laughed and happily stepped forward.

Another singer named Eden Bräus took her steps forward. She was very talented and had been singing her entire life. Even though Phoenix would like to win, she wanted Eden to if they didn't.

Then, Lya smirked. "Phoenix and Akuma."

Akuma grasped her Meister's hand to assure everything was alright, and they faced the crowd before taking their daring step forward.

"And Derek's Garage Band," was the final act called. The band shrugged nonchalantly and whispered to each other.

The announcer nodded once at the judges and winked at the crowd. Then, turning back towards the acts called, she cleared her throat dramatically and poked her tongue out.

"Y'all made it through."

* * *

**wow i am hella bad at making up names**


End file.
